The Renault Formula One crash controversy, dubbed Crashgate by some in the media, was a sporting scandal caused when Renault F1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to give a sporting advantage to his Renault teammate, Fernando Alonso.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, FIA president Max Mosley and F1 race director Charlie Whiting were made aware of the race fixing in 2008 but used their influence to cover up the scandal.

Justice must be made. Felipe Massa is the rightful winner of the 2008 F1 World Drivers Championship. The FIA and F1 higher ups covered up the scandal and cheated Felipe Massa out of the title. 

The confession of Bernie Ecclestone former chief executive of F1:

“Max Mosley and I were informed during the 2008 season what had happened in the race in Singapore. [...] We decided not to do anything for now. We wanted to protect the sport and save it from a huge scandal. That’s why I used angelic tongues to persuade my former driver Nelson Piquet to keep calm for the time being. [...] We had enough information in time to investigate the matter. According to the statutes, we should have cancelled the race in Singapore under these conditions. That means it would never have happened for the World Championship standings. Then Felipe Massa would have become World Champion and not Lewis Hamilton." 

The confession of Charlie Whiting F1 race director:

“He [Nelson Piquet] held his foot against the door, so no one could come in, and then told me about what happened in Singapore. It was aimed at Flavio [Briatore] because, basically, the essence of what he was saying was that: 'Flavio made my boy crash.' I said, ‘wow, this is pretty serious stuff.’ I don't know who else he had told but he just said, 'keep it to yourself'. In doing that, he would have known that I would tell Max [Mosley].”  Charlie Whiting F1 race director